Page 27 of Daughter of Secrets


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“Oh, that’s the place with the vampires, right?”

Christian gave her a dissatisfied frown. “You make it sound so ordinary. No, it’s not ‘the place with the vampires.’” He made air quotes and scoffed. “That’s where Dracula’s legend was born. That’s where his castle is, where it all began.”

“Oh, that.” Olivia watched as Christian’s face melted at her flat response. It made her oddly giddy. Any revenge for today, no matter how small and indirect, was satisfying.

He cocked his head to the side and added, “Most tourists aren’t this . . . underwhelmed by Dracula’s castle.”

Well, most tourists don’t get their bags stolen at the airport or stranded in the middle of nowhere in the dark.She had to bite her tongue in order to keep those words from spilling from her lips.

“What can I say? I’ve never really been into horror stories.”

“Oh really? Well, I’ve got a spooky story for you,” Christian responded, a sinister smile on his face.

“What part of not liking those stories did you not get?”

“Trust me, my story is interesting, and it’s a great way to pass the time while we walk. It’s like they say: two’s company and an hour-long foot trek feels like ten minutes.”

“Huh?” Olivia mumbled.

He chuckled. “You get the idea.”

“The idea that my so-called guide is trying to confuse me? Yeah, I do.” She shooed away an insect flitting over the tip of her phone. “Go ahead,” she said. “Tell me your spooky story.”

“I thought you didn’t want to hear it?” he asked.

“You convinced me with that whole two’s company thing, so go ahead.”

“Alright then. There was once a young farmer who lived in an old village of stone houses in the hills. He was said to be the first man to settle in those hills. He cleared a patch of land, felled some trees, and built himself a nice house.”

“Sounds . . . quaint,” Olivia said.

“Anyway, he got married and lived up there with his wife for years. They never had any children, although they tried, but they were quite happy. He was a successful farmer, too, with cattle and chickens and fresh produce. Some said he was blessed, others said he had to be using some sinister power or something.” He turned to her. “That’s what happens when you’re successful: people get jealous.”

She nodded.

“Anyway,” he continued, “one day, many years later, the farmer was riding in a cart with his wife, taking their fresh produce to the village as they always did, when they got attacked by robbers. His wife was dragged out of the cart while the man was held down and made to watch as they killed her. They say his screams shook the trees and pulled the spirits of the woods. The man killed himself right there, next to his wife, and their bodies were taken by the forest, their blood mixed together in the earth.”

Olivia shuddered, then pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders as if it were the cold.

“The spirit of the man is said to roam through these woods, thirsty for blood and vengeance. They say that when you pass through this area at certain hours, especially when the night is still, you can hear his cries.”

Olivia listened to the scraping of their feet on the ground. She slowed her steps to walk closer to Christian.

“I think I can almost hear the cries,” he whispered. “We must be close to where it happened.”

“Stop it!” She hit his arm.

They moved in the small halo of light cast by Olivia’s phone. The moon hung low in the sky, making the shadows of the trees and tall grass pop.

Suddenly, a wolf howled in the distance and almost immediately after that, there was a cracking noise from the bushes. She gasped again as she jumped into Christian, shuddering and burying her face into his shoulder. The forest grew still once more. She opened her eyes when she realized Christian’s arm was on her lower back and his muscular chest was heaving from laughter. Clearing her throat, she pulled away and flipped her hair. Her cheeks burned fiery red as she looked away in embarrassment.

“I wasn’t scared, just a little jumpy,” she muttered in a last attempt to salvage the situation.

He gave her a disbelieving look, a teasing smile on his face. “You literally jumped into my arms.”

Her cheeks burned even hotter and she lowered her gaze.

“As I said . . . just a bit jumpy,” she repeated.

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